used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Each time it missed and writhed about to dart again.
anew
From this reading Each time it missed and writhed about to dart again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
attacksnounUS /əˈtæks/
plural of “attack” — (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
convincinglyadverbUS /kənˈvɪnsɪŋli/
in a convincing manner
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
dartverbUS /dɑːrt/
move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading Each time it missed and writhed about to dart again.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each time it missed and writhed about to dart again.
egg-shapedadjective
rounded like an egg
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
being one more than seven
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
flingingverbUS /ˈflɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
frenziedlyadverb
in a frenzied manner
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
fumesnounUS /fjuːmz/
gases ejected from an engine as waste products
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
furiouslyadverbUS /ˈfjʊriəsli/
(of the elements) in a wild and stormy manner
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
giganticadjectiveUS /dʒaɪˈɡæntɪk/
so exceedingly large or extensive as to suggest a giant or mammoth
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading Each time it missed and writhed about to dart again.
monstrousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːnstrəs/
abnormally large
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
preynounUS /preɪ/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
pythonnounUS /ˈpaɪθɑːn/
large Old World boas
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
recurring again and again
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
rocket'snounUS /ˈrɑːkəts/
possessive form of “rocket” — any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
scuttledverbUS /ˈskʌtəld/
past form of “scuttle” — to move about or proceed hurriedly
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
serpentineadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrpəntaɪn/
resembling a serpent in form
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
transport commercially
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
snakenounUS /sneɪk/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
strikings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading It climbed and struck, and climbed and struck, like a monstrous python flinging itself furiously at some invisible prey.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Each time it missed and writhed about to dart again.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Six, seven, eight times it plunged frenziedly at the minute egg-shaped ship which scuttled for the heavens.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Each time it missed and writhed about to dart again.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
twistings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From a sufficient height and a sufficient distance, the rocket's repeated attacks must have appeared like the strikings and twistings of a gigantic snake.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
writhedadjectiveUS /rɪθd/
twisted (especially as in pain or struggle)
From this reading Each time it missed and writhed about to dart again.
writhingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪðɪŋ/
moving in a twisting or snake-like or wormlike fashion
From this reading It left behind it a writhing trail of fumes which was convincingly serpentine.
